Pinson Valley High School - Chieftain Yearbook (Pinson, AL)

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February 14 is a day that sets almost every girl hoping tor that special gift, and it sends every guy to the florist. Though many people would prefer to see Valentine ' s Day once a month, it only comes once a year, (much to the dislike of florists). The most popular means of showing that special person at Pinson how much one cares is through the S.G.A. balloon sale. The S.G.A. annually sells balloons and delivers them to whoever the buyer chooses. Though more people would rather be on the receiving end than are, most people enjoy seeing exactly who their admirer really is and also to see what fish to set their hook for. When the day finally arrives, S.G.A. members and Office Personnel alike are swamped with flowers, cards, can- dies, and balloons sent to friends, girlfriends, and boyfriends that were given by friends, admirers, and parents. A week or so after Valentine ' s; after the candy has been eaten, the cards read, the balloons deflated, and the flowers wilted, the memories will still be there and, of course, the love they were sent with. Also present, however, will be upset stomachs from the candy, useless plastic balloons and, the most tragic of all, twelve thorn bushes. Ask anyone and they ' ll tell you that friends are the most important thing in the world. Having someone to whom you can tell your troubles, ask advice, and kid around with is a special thing that everyone wants and needs. In return, you know they can count on you for the same thing, and that ' s what makes friendships such a strong bond. The best thing about friends is that they come in all shapes and sizes; they can be your brother or sister, boyfriend or girlfriend, parent, next- door neighbor, or as in most cases, just someone with whom you have the same things in common. Soon these acquaintances become so close that it is hard to separate the friends. A true friend is one who is willing to do just about anything for you and have enough trust in you to accept it as being right. A true friend is one who doesn ' t care what you look like, what you have, or anything else, but just likes you as a person. Most of all, a true friend is one who is there when you need him, anytime, anywhere. Friendship is one thing that cannot be taken away, and the one thing that endures the longest. If you wonder why a person could care so much about another, the answer is, What are friends for? 46 EVERYDAY

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Riding the Bus Many people have the privilege of riding home in a car or driving their own. For many others, however, the school bus is the mode of transporta- tion that must be used. It really takes dedication to put up with the little brats (commonly called Rudd students) that are forced onto the bus with the high school students, but somehow most survive. The worst drawback, however, lies in the fact that many students ride the second load and must wait for the bus from 45 minutes to one hour. With such odds against them, the future passengers have to find ways of passing the time. Studying and talking are the most popular ways, but tacky sacks and footballs sometimes do the trick. No matter how much fun these fillers are, however, the bus is always a welcomed sight. Traffic Jams The final bell at 2:55 is a welcomed sound by all students. But the thought of fighting the traffic to get out of the parking lot sets fear in the hearts of students, teachers, and bus drivers alike. There is, unfortunately, no way to get a head start and everyone is thrown into the parking lot to deal with all of the Drivers Ed. graduates and those still training. Most of the time it is easy to get out of the parking lot, but on those days when driver ' s mania sets in and everyone tries to exit at once, the wait can seem longer than the time it takes to get through the lunchline when they ' re serving the chicken surprise pack. All in all the parking lot is a challenging way to end the day. EVERYDAY 45

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Spring As the boredom of winter stretches from lengthy weeks to endless months, students become restless. School, un- fortunately, is the only Entertain- ment possible. But unlike the lunch- room ' s chili, winter goes away and is quickly replaced by spring. With the slightest hint of warm weather, everyone pulls out shorts and short sleeve shirts and suddenly the parking lot is filled with convertibles. Spring brings a newness of life and the awareness that school will soon be ter- minating and the entire student body will be moving to the sunny shores of Panama City. Many students prefer to get a preview of June 4 by going down to the coast during the long awaited AEA! No matter what anyone does dur- ing the spring, it is a welcomed relief from the cold and wind. Senioritis Around February of each school year a strange metamorphosis takes place in the seniors of Pinson Valley; it ' s Senioritis, that overwhelming desire to get the school year over with so that the twelth graders can hit the beach in Florida. Characteristics of senioritis are excessive boredom, restlessness. depression, and a peculiar tendency of seniors to slap on sun tan oil (in the middle of fVlarch). It is difficult for underclassmen and teachers to sym- pathize with twelth graders during this time, but how could they understand? The end of their high school lives is not winding down and most of them are not headed for PC, so the situation is unique. Teachers who have been here for years know the problem and try to be understanding, but it is sometimes difficult. To freshmen, juniors, and sophomores, we can only say: the time will come when you will feel the same way, so lay off the old folks! EVERYDAY 47